Curtain track



March Il., 1930., l E. J. VALLEN CURTAIN TRACK Filed May 22., 1928INVENTOR 7.4m f )44mm/v,

ATTORNEYS' Patented Mar. 1'1, 1930 EARL J'. VALLEN,

OF AKRON, OHIO CURTAIN TRACK Application led May 22,

This invention relates to curtains for use in theatres, auditoriums,etc.

The object of the invention 1s to improve operation of theatre curtainsit is highly important to secure noiseless operation of the supportingmechanism, as a noisy curtain f will often spoil the scenic e'ects uponthe stage. It is also important to provide a curtain supporting andoperating mechanism which requires little or no attention to maintainand keep in operative condition. No oiling or greasing should berequired, the presence of oil or grease upon the supporting mechanismendangering the curtain which is made of expensive fabrics.

These and other objects are accomplished by the improved design andarrangement of parts shown and described herein. it being understoodthat changes and modifications may be made in design and arrangement ofparts without departing from the essential features of the inventionasset forth in the claims.

The present application is a continuation of my prior application,Serial No. 245,160, iled January 7, 1928, illustrating the prin-. cipalfeatures shown in the said prior application and additionalimprovements.

Of the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view ofa track installation embodying theinvention;

Figure 2 is a part plan of the track illustrating the adjustable lapconstruction;

Figure 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Figure 2; v

Figure 4 is a detail side elevation of a portion of the track showingthe master hanger thereon;

Figure 5 is a left end elevation thereof;

Figure 6 is a detail side elevation of a portion of the track showingthe construction of the remainder of the hangers;

Figure 7 is a left end elevation thereof;

Figure 8 is a view showing the manner in' which the curtain may beadjusted on the hanger; p

Figure 9 is a section through the single 1928. lSerial No. 279,780.

pulley block mounted at the left end of the track as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 10 is a section through the double pulley block mounted at theother end of the track; and

Figure 11 is a detailed section of one of the supporting rollers.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l designates a curtain track railof steel or other suitable material made up in two sections la and l",with the central lapped connection at 1c when it is used for mounting adouble curtain as shown.

Each of the track rails is made from a single strip of metal providedwith a horizontal track portion 2, an outside flange 3, a rear wall 4,an upper horizontal supporting portion 5, and a depending strengtheningflange 6, leaving a gap between the ilanges 3 and 6 through which thehanger is movable. In assembling the track sections 1a and l the tracksare faced in opposite directions as shown in the drawings.

The track rail is supported on two part brackets 11, 11 embracing therail and slidable thereon to adjusted positions and arranged to betightened thereon by bolts 12, 12. The brackets which are placed atfrequent intervals, have depending portions which lie along the rearwall and the dependin flange, and as the sides of the rail taperownwardly, they are supported adequately as shown in Figure 1. Threepart brackets v13 are employed between the overlapped portions 1c of therail sections, these brackets including a central supporting and spacermember 13 having lateral flanges 13b to support the under surfaces ofthe trackl rails and to which is secured side brad-tet members 13e-13cembracing the upper portions of the rail sections, the parts of brackets18 being bolted together at 13d. Bolts 14 are extended through adjacentrail section ends and brackets 13 respectively on each of said endsadditionally to secure the brackets thereto to provide stops for themaster curtain hangers and also to provide eyes14a through which theoperating cable may be-A extended. The construction of brackets 13 andthese connections to the adjacent rail Weight of the curtain will endspermit easy adjustment of the lap by loosening of bolts 13d andtelescoplng the sections to increase or decrease the lap. The endbrackets 11 are provided with bolts 14b acting as end stops.

Both brackets 11 and 13 are formed w1t h eyes indicated at 15, 15 bywhich the track rail may be suspended either from stage girders orceilings by lines as shown and also with bolt holes indicated at 16, 16whereby the track may be anchored against the ceiling or on brackets atthe rear of the proscenium arch, adjustability of brackets 11 permittlnglining these up on the track wlth celhng or other supports.

The curtain is movable in the horlzontal track provided by the portion 2of the track rails and is guided by the wall 4 and the flange 3, beingcarried by a plurality of rollers 17. In order to insure quiet travel ofthe rollers over the track rails they are made of a hard rubber ofrubber and fiber center 18 with a soft rubber tread 19, the parts 18 and19 being vulcanized together. As the rollers are constructed theyoperate noiselessly in the track way and require no lubrication. Thecenters ofthe rollers are mounted on shafts 20, from which depend thehangers which support the curtain. These hangers are of two typesincluding a plurality of single brackets 22 which are distributed alongthe curtain at suitable intervals, and a master or double hanger 23 atthe end of the upper corner of the curtain.

The single hangers are shown in Figures 6 and 7, being formed at thelower ends with apertured members or eyes 24 in each of which is secureda short section of rubber tubing 25 extending upon opposite sides of thehanger and forming yielding and noiseless abut-ments so that the hangerswill not strike audibly when the curtain is Withdrawn.

The master hangers 23 are constructed with double rollers from which aresuspended the rigid brackets 3() connected by a horizontal platform 31and with notched end flanges 32. j

The curtain 35 is supported by link chains 36 which are attached to thesingle hangers by a swivel eye bolt 38 andto the master hanger by aswivel bolt 39 mounted in the platform 31 so that the' free twisting ofthe curtain as it is moved is permitted. The upper edge of the curtainis provided with snap hooks 40 which are engageable in the links ot thechain 36, this arrangement permitting the curtain to be adjusted on thechain to varying heights and thereby affording an easy method ofaccommodating varying depths of curtains. It will also be observedthatthe supporting points for the curtain are directly below the rollersso that the keep the rollers ln upright posltion. j Y

Each curtain is operated by a cable trained over a pulley of a doublepulley block 46 secured to one hanger 11 at one end of the track,andover a single pulley block 47 secured to a hanger 11 at the other end ofthe v track, in both blocks the pulleys being mounted on journal pins 48having suitable, noiseless, non-friction bushings 49 thereon, hard maplebushings boiled in oil to be selflubricating being suitable for thispurpose. Fiber washers 50 are provided between the pulleys or pulley andblock housing.

The cable is secured to the master hangers by double clamps 52 passingthrough the platform 31 and lies in the notched end plates 32. As thecables are moved the master hangers are moved, so that on opening thecurtain the'master hanger strikes the next single hanger and so on untilthe curtain is completely folded, the rubber tubing preventingobjectionable noise in the operation of the curtain. As each cable issupported by the eye-bolts 14 sagging of the cable at the center of thecurtain opening is prevented.

The track is illustrated in Figure 1 suspended upon tie rods 54, 55 and56, rods 54 and 56 being connected in the eyes of brackets 11 at theends of the track and rod 55 by branch, flexible tension members 58 tothe eyes in brackets 13. In each tie rod may be incorporated theadjustable connection 60 by which the height of the track may beadjusted or the track leveled.

It will appear from the foregoing description that' the track is easilyinstalled in a number of different ways and that it is capable of easyand effective operation in a noiseless manner. In installing the trackthe central lap of the curtain may be adjusted as desired and the trackcan be adjusted accurately to length, either by adjusting the lap or byadjustment of the end brackets 11 to the desired length and then cuttingoft' the portion of the rail extending beyond an end bracket 1 What isclaimed is:

1. In a curtain track structure including master and iioating hangersmovable along a track and an operating cable connected to the masterhanger; each floating hanger comprising a bracket having a spacer sleevethereon through which the operating cable is extended, and meansswiveled onto said bracket to suspend the curtain therefrom, said spacersleeve being formed of rubber to provide a noiseless bumper when saidfloating hangers are gathered by operation of the master hanger.

2. In a curtain track structure including master and floating hangersmovable along a track and an operating cable connected to the masterhanger; each floating hanger including a bracket having a spacer sleevethereon throughwhich the operating cable is extended, said spacer sleevebeing formedof rubber to provide a noiseless bum er when said float inghangers are gathered y operation of the master hangers.

3. A curtain track structure including master and floating han ersmovable over a track and an operatn ca 1e connected to the masterhanger, the oatng hangers comprising a bracket having a passagetherethrough or the passage of an operating cable, and cushions on thehangers adapted to revent noise when the hangers are gathered y theoperation of the cable. Y

4. In a theatre curtain track structure, a track, a pluralit of flat:faced rollers movable over the track, anges to prevent twisting ofthe-rollers on the track, hangers supporte by the rollers and havingeyes for the reception of an operating cable, the cable being secured tothe forward hanger, and curtain supports swivelly mounted on the hangersbelow the eyes, the point of supggrt for each hanger, eye and curtainsupport ing in a direct vertical line.

EARL J. VALLEN..

